CULTIVATING AN ORCHARD. 233 



CULTIVATING AN ORCHARD 



J. M. UNDERWOOD, LAKE CITY. 



The more I think of my past experience in orcharding, the more 

 convinced am I that trees are injured most by a lack of moisture, 

 &nd anything- that will help to remedy this is to be desired. 



We have an orchard of 1500 apple trees, planted on a northern ex- 

 posure, but the ground is rolling and the soil sandy, and some of it 

 gravelly. I first thought we could take care of it best by mulching, 

 but, after trying it for several 3'ears, I decided to give it thorough 

 cultivation, influenced, I think, b}^ the abundant testimony that has 

 recently been published on the advantages of cultivation for the 

 conservation of moisture and, particularly, that given us a year ago 

 by Prof. Peudergast. Accordingly, last spring I installed a good, 

 trusty man in charge of the orchard. I equipped him with a cheap 

 horse, a plow, a cultivator and a drag, with instructions to kill out 

 every green thing except the trees; and he did it. After getting the 

 land under subjection, by plowing, dragging and thorough culti- 

 vation, it was an easy matter to keep the surface loose so as to catch 

 and retain every drop of moisture that fell. Previous to this the 

 rains would nearly all run off of the ground, cutting deep ditches, 

 and in some instances washing the trees out. This was completely 

 stopped b}^ cultivation, and the appearance of the orchard enhanced 

 seventy-five per cent. The trees made a fine growth, notwithstand- 

 ing the season was exceedingly dry. 



The ground should be cultivated very shallow once a week for 

 twenty -one weeks. Estimated expense, $1Q per acre, or about seven 

 cents per tree for the season. I found we did not have any cultiva- 

 tor suitable to work among bearing trees, and I had one made in the 

 following manner: I took off the shovel of a Morgan grape hoe, and 

 to the iron arm attached eight legs of an old seeder. In place of the 

 seeder teeth I put 2-inch shovels. With this implement and one 

 horse a man can rapidly cultivate the ground, shallow or deep, as 

 desired; and the teeth being all on one side of the tongue, it can be 

 run up under the limbs close to the body of the tree, while the horse 

 walks far enough awaj"^ to not injure the limbs. I am well pleased 

 with thorough cultivation and keeping a dust blanket on the sur- 

 face of the ground to receive and retain the moisture that falls. 



Mr. E. H. S. Dartt: I had experience in the direct line yo\i 

 refer to. I have cultivated orchards in almost all ways. I 

 have had them under good cultivation, and I have had them 

 mulched without cultivation, and I have had them in grass. 

 The worst is to have them in grass, and the next is to mulch 

 without cultivation, and the best method I have found is clean 

 cultivation. I used the plow and drag. A year ago I bought a 

 disc harrow on purpose to work in my orchard. It worked tol- 

 erably well. My rows are twelve feet apart, and I drive as 

 close to the row on one side as I can, and then I turn around 

 and take another row, but I manage so as to go on each side of 



